Hinged chain drive assembly

ABSTRACT

A hinged chain drive assembly for driving a plurality of elements mounted within an apparatus from a single driving motor source, some of such elements being mounted on a fixed portion of the apparatus and others of such elements being mounted on a movable hinged door for providing access to the interior of the apparatus. Chain drive subassemblies are arranged to allow the access door to be moved from a closed to an opened position without disturbing the operation of the apparatus and without requiring the removal of the endless chain elements used in the chain drive subassemblies.

United States Patent Thaddeus w. Czernik Framingham, Mass.

HINGE!) CHAIN DRIVE ASSEMBLY 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

u.s.c| ass/3, 1 355/16, 355/72 Int. Cl 603g 15/22 Field oiSearch..'.355/3, it;

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,352,218 11/1967 Ostensen355/3 Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-E. M. BeroAttorney--Roberts, Cushman and Grover ABSTRACT: A hinged 'chain driveassembly for driving a plurality of elements mounted within an apparatusfrom a single driving motor source, some of such elements being mountedon a fixed portion of the apparatus and others of such elements beingmounted on a movable hinged door for providing access to the interior ofthe apparatus Chain drive subassemblies are arranged to allow the accessdoor to be moved from a closed to an opened position without disturbingthe operation of the apparatus and without requiring the removal of theendless chain elements used in the chain drive subassemblies.

PATENTEUAUBITIQII 3,600,080

SHEET 1 [1F 3 PATENTED mm 1 IQTI 3500.080

SHEET 2 0F 3 PATENTEU AUG] 7 l9?! 3600.080

sum 3 or 3 HINGE!) CHAIN DRIVE ASSEMBLY This invention relates generallyto chain drive assemblies and, more particularly, to apparatus whichincludes a chain drive assembly for driving a plurality of elementsmounted within said apparatus, wherein some of said elements are mountedon a fixed portion of said apparatus and others of said elements aremounted on a movable portion thereof.

In an apparatus which utilizes chain drive mechanisms, or other similardrive mechanisms, such as belts, wires, cables, or other endless means,which engage sprockets, pulleys, or other suitable engaging means, it isusually necessary to mount all of the elements which are driven therebyon a fixed portion of the apparatus if they are to be driven by a singlemotor, and to provide an access door which can be opened, or removed, toexpose such fixedly mounted elements for maintenance and repairpurposes, for example. In such conventional apparatus, however, none ofthe chain driven elements are usually mounted on the access door itself.If they were so mounted the chain, or chains, which drive such elementswould have to be removed whenever it was desired that the door be openedsince the presence of such chains, in their operating condition undertension, would not allow the door to be sufficiently moved from itsclosed position to provide adequate access into the interior of theapparatus.

Alternatively, if it is desired some of the chain driven elements bemounted on the access door itself, it would normally be necessary to usetwo, or more, separate drive motors, one for the fixedly mountedelements and the other for those elements mounted on the movable door,and to provide for appropriate and relatively elaborate synchronizationof their operation. Moreover, it might still further be necessary toprovide for the removal of at least one or more chain elements to openthe door and obtain access to the interior of the apparatus.

This invention, however, provides an apparatus having chain drivenelements actuated by a single driver motor wherein at least some of theelements to be driven are mounted directly on a movable, hinged accessdoor so that such door can be opened and closed without the breaking orremoval of the endless chain elements which are utilized. Moreover, whenthe access door is in either its open or closed position, the assemblyhas the further advantages that the chain elements can be removed, ifdesired, without breaking thereof and that the apparatus can be put intoits operating condition independently of the position at which the dooris placed by an operator.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention utilizes three endless chainelements, a first one of which engages one or more sprockets fixedlyattached to shaft elements one of said shaft elements is in turnconnected to a single driver motor and the others of which are connectedto various operating elements which are mounted on a fixed portion ofthe apparatus. A second intermediate driver subassembly utilizes a pairof dual sprocket means, a first sprocket of each engaging a secondintermediate endless chain element. A third endless chain elementengages one or more sprockets fixedly attached to shaft elementswhichare inturn connected to operating elements mounted on a movableportion, such as a hinged access door, of the apparatus. One of saiddual sprocket means is mounted on a shaft which forms the pivot axis onwhich the hinged door of the apparatus rotates and has a second sprocketwhich engages the first endless chain element. The other of said dualsprocket means has a second sprocket which engages the third endlesschain element.

Appropriate spring-loaded idler means maintain the intermediate andthird endless chain elements in tension, which tension can be easilyremoved manually independently of the position of the access door. Thus,whether the access door is placed in a closed or an open position, or ina position intermediate thereto, the apparatus can be put into operationwithout removal of any of the endless chain elements. The chains can beeasily removed at any time and in any position of the door, and accesscan be obtained to the interior of the apparatus by the user.

A particular preferred embodiment of the invention can be more easilydescribed in detail with the help of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of an apparatus which utilizes thechain drive assembly of the invention and which shows a portion of thehinged access door thereof in its closed position;

FIG. 2 shows a similar side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with thedrive and chain assembly omitted and portions of the interior shown;

FIG. 3 shows a front view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows adiagrammatic side view of a portion of the apparatus ofFIG. 1 showing a portion of the hinged access door thereof in its openposition; and

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5 -5 of FIG. 3.

Although the enclosed drawings and the description below illustrate thechain drive assembly of the invention as utilized in a photocopierapparatus, the invention can find use in other apparatus wherein a chaindrive assembly is used and wherein access to the interior thereof mustbe obtained by the user for maintenance, repair, or other purposes.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a photocopier apparatus 10 has a drive motor 11mounted within such apparatus, the shaft 12 of such drive motorextending outwardly through an appropriate opening in the sidewall ofapparatus 10. A drive sprocket 14 is mounted on shaft 12 and a camsprocket 15 used to actuate appropriate timing cams (not shown) issuitably mounted above and to the .right of sprocket 14. A sprocket 16is mounted on a shaft 17 below and to the right of cam sprocket 15. Therotation of shaft 17 is controlled by a one revolution clutch 18 thepurposeof which is discussed in more detail below. An idler sprocket 19is suitably mounted below and to the left of sprocket 16 and a paperdrive roller sprocket 20 is mounted on a shaft 21 substantially directlybelow sprocket l6, shaft 21 having one of a pair of drive rollers 22mounted thereon, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

A first dual sprocket 23, best shown in HQ 3, having an inner sprocket24 and an outer sprocket 25 is mounted on a shaft 54 which acts as ahinge on which an access door 27 can be angularly rotated from itsclosed position shown in FIG. 1 to its open position shown in FIG. 4. Anidler sprocket 32 is mounted substantially adjacent and below dualsprocket 23.

A second dual sprocket 28 ismounted on stub shaft 31 suitably attachedto the side of access door 27 below dual sprocket 23 and has an innersprocket 29 and outer sprocket 30. An idler sprocket 33 is mounted atthe end of a movable arm 34 pivotally attached by a shaft 35 to the sideof access door 27 at a bearing 36. A belt drive sprocket 37 is mountedbelow dual sprocket 28 and is attached to one end of a shaft 38 havingassociated therewith at said one end a clutch 39 and at the other end abrake 40. A squeegee roll drive sprocket 41 is mounted below and to theright of sprocket 37 and is connected to one end of shaft 42 which hasmounted thereon a squeegee roll 43 operating in combination with asecond squeegee roll appropriately spring-loaded so as to be heldagainst roll 43 to form a nip therebetween. An idler sprocket 45 ismounted on a movable arm 46 pivotally mounted to the side of access door27 through stub shaft 47 at bearing 48.

The above-described sprockets are suitably engaged by a plurality ofendless means, such as the chain elements described below.Alternatively, combinations utilizing endless means and engaging meansother than such chair. and sprocket combinations can be used to performthe same functions, such as belts, cables, wires, ropes, etc., engagingsimilar sprocketlike or pulley mechanisms.

As can be seen best in FIG. 1, a first endless chain 49 engagessprockets l4, 15, 16, 19, 20, 24 and 32. Drive motor 11 is arranged todrive sprocket 14 via shaft 12 in a clockwise direction, as shown by thearrows associated with chain element 49. Cam sprocket 15 and sprocket l6consequently each rotate in the same clockwise direction as sprocket 14.The shaft 17 connected to sprocket 16 is adapted to be engaged by aone-revolution clutch 18 which thereupon operates to draw off asufficient amount of paper from a paper supply roll 50, shown in FIG. 2.Such paper is thereby drawn downwardly through a corona discharge device51' and-thence downwardly towards drive rolls 22 the nip of whichthereupon engages the paper following the operation of clutch 18 whichthen is disengaged. Chain 49 meshes with inner sprocket 24 of dualSprocket 23 so as to cause both the inner and outer sprockets thereof torotate in a counterclockwise direction. Chain 49 then continues its patharound idler return sprocket 32 back to drive sprocket 14.

A second intermediate endless chain 52 is mounted so as to engage outersprocket 25 of dual sprocket 23, outer sprocket 30 of dual sprocket 28,and idler sprocket 33. Movable arm 35, which is appropriatelyspring-loaded, holds idler sprocket 33 against chain 52 to keep thelatter in tension during operation. Thus, outer sprocket 30 of dualsprocket 28 is also driven in a counterclockwise direction.

A third endless chain 53 is arranged to engage inner sprocket 29 of dualsprocket 28, belt drive sprocket 37, squeegee roll drive sprocket 41 andidler sprocket 45. As shown in H0. 1, when inner sprocket 29 rotates ina counterclockwise direction, in accordance with the arrows associatedwith third endless chain 53, belt drive sprocket 37 and v squeegee rollsprocket 41 also rotate in counterclockwise directions while idlersprocket 45 rotates in a clockwise direction.

As seen more clearly with reference to H; dual sprocket 23 is mounted atone end of shaft 54 which shaft is in turn fixedly attached to hingedaccess door 27, the latter thereby pivotally moving about thelongitudinal axis of shaft 54 in bearing surfaces within pillar boxes 60at either end thereof. A hollow roller 55 is mounted over and concentricwith shaft 54 and has a pair of bearing surfaces 56 at each end thereofthrough which portions of shaft 54 extend. Accordingly, roller 55 isfree to rotate independently of the rotating motion of shaft 54, andvice versa.

As can be seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of endlessperforated belts 57 are arranged to move over the enlarged diameterportions 58 of shaft 38 which is driven by belt drive sprocket 37, andforms a nip in cooperation with an adjacent idler roller 62. Clutch 39is arranged to be continually engaged during operation of the apparatusso that the perforated belts 57 are continually moving in the directionof the arrow shown in FlG,. 2 until the paper which rides thereover (asexplained in more detail below) contacts a microswitch 59 which actuatesbrake 40 so as to stop the motion of the paper at a preselected positionalong the image plane for exposure to the image to be recorded via aconventional lens and mirror combination 61, shown diagrammatically inFIG. 2, as in previously known photocopier apparatus.

Squeegee rollers 43 and 44 form a nip through which the paper passesfrom the perforated belt to output drying and delivery stations in theparticular photocopy apparatus described. As the paper enters and passesthrough the squeegee roller nip, an appropriate liquid toner, ordeveloper, is applied by a spray roll (not shown) to the image-bearingside of the paper sheet to produce an image. The paper is thenappropriately dried by a suitable drying unit 53 at a dryer station andultimately is conveyed to an output slot 62 where it is delivered to theuser. Since the developer, dryer and output stations are previouslyknown and do not'form a part of the invention, per se, they are notdescribed in further detail.

As can be seen best in FIG. 4 the chain drive assembly of the inventionis arranged so that hinged access door 27 can be angularly rotated toits upper, or open, position at as much as 90 or more from its originalclosed position to a substantially horizontal plane, for example, in theparticular embodiment described. Thus, access door 27 can be rotatedwithout the necessity for removing any of the chains 49, 52 or 53. Inits open position, such chains remain substantially in the same relativeposition as when access door 27 is closed and the apparatus is capableof its normal operation as shown in FIG. 4. When door 27 is open, accessto the interior of the apparatus is permitted and, particularly in thephotocopier apparatus described, complete exposure to the interiorelements makes it possible not only to repair the mechanical elementstherein but also to adjust and clean the lens and mirror system thereof,as well as to clear away any paper which may have jammed at some pointalong its travel during the operation of the apparatus. Because of theuse of idler sprockets 33 and 45 attached to pivoted idler arms 35, and47, respectively, the chains 52 and 53 can be removed by merely movingsuch idler sprockets manually against the spring load on such arms sothat chains 52 and 53 are loosened and can be easilyremoved withoutbreaking thereof.

Moreover, the use of the combination of shaft 54 and concentric,independently rotating, roller 55 along the pivot axis of hinged accessdoor 27 allows the door to be moved between its closed and openpositions independently of the rotation of the perforated belts, andvice versa.

Although the specific structure shown in the drawings depicts apreferable embodiment of the invention, variations of such structurewill occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scopeof the invention. Hence, the invention is not to be limited to thespecific embodiments shown except as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. An assembly for driving a plurality of shaft elements in an apparatusfrom a single motor, at least one of said shaft elements being mountedon a' fixed portion of said apparatus and at least one other of saidshaft elements being mounted on a movable portion thereof, said drivingassembly comprising a first plurality of engaging means fixedly attachedto said shaft elements mounted on said fixed portion of said apparatus;

a first endless means engaging each of said first plurality of engagingmeans;

a motor connected to one of said shaft elements mounted on said fixedportion of said apparatus for rotating one of said first plurality ofengaging means whereby the others of said first plurality of engagingmeans rotate by engage ment with said first endless means; k

an intermediate driver subassembly including a first dual driver meansmounted on an axis about which said movable portion of said apparatusrotates, said first dual driver means comprising first and secondintermediate engaging means, said first intermediate engaging meansengaging said first endless means;

a second dual driver means mounted on said movable portion of saidapparatus in spaced relation with said first driver means, said seconddual driver means comprising third and fourth intermediate engagingmeans;

a second endless means engaging said second intermediate engaging meansand said third intermediate engaging means;

a second plurality of engaging means fixedly attached to each of saidshaft elements mounted on said movable portion of said apparatus;

a third endless means engaging each of said second plurality of engagingmeans and engaging said fourth intermediate engaging means;

whereby said motor is capable of operating all of said shaft elementsindependently of the position of said movable portion of said apparatus.

2. An assembly for driving a plurality of shaft elements in an apparatusfrom a single motor, a first plurality of said shaft elements beingmounted on a fixed portion of said apparatus and a second plurality ofshaft elements being mounted on a movable portion thereof, said drivingassembly comprising a first plurality of sprockets fixedly attached tosaid first plurality of shaft elements;

a first endless chain engaging each of said first plurality ofsprockets; r 1 g a motor connected to one of said first plurality ofshaft elements for rotating the sprocket attached thereto whereby theothers of said first plurality of sprock'etsrotate by en- .gagement withsaid first chain;

an intermediate driver subassembly including I a first dualsprocket-mounted on an axis about which said movable portion of saidapparatus rotates and comprising first and second parallel mountedintermediate sprockets, saidfirst intermediate sprocket engaging saidfirst chain; a second dual sprocket mounted on said movable portion ofsaid apparatus and comprising third and fourth M parallel mountedintermediate sprockets;

a second endless chain engaging said second intermediate sprocket andsaid third intermediate sprocket;

a second plurality of sprockets fixedly attached to each of said shaftelements mounted on said movable portion of said apparatus;

a third endless chain engaging each of said second plurality ofsprockets and engaging said fourth intermediate sprocket;

; whereby said motor is capable of operating all of said shaft elementsindependently of the position of said movable portion of said apparatus.

3. An assembly for driving a plurality of shaft elements in accordancewith claim 2 wherein said first and said fourth intermediate sprocketsand said first and third endless chains lie in a first common plane;

i said second and said third intermediate sprockets and said secondendless chains lie in a second common plane;

- the motion of said first endless chain in said first common planebeing transmitted to said second endless chain in said second commonplane by said first dual sprocket; and

the motion of said second endless chain being transmitted to said'thirdendless chain in said first common plane by said second dual sprocket.4. An assembly for driving a plurality of shaft elements in accordancewith claim 2 wherein said apparatus is a photocopier apparatus includinga supply roll of copy paper;

an intermediate station for preparing said paper for exposure to animage;

an image exposure station; Y

adeveloper station for producing a visible image on said copy paper; i adrier station for drying said developed copy paper; and an outputdelivery station; wherein one or more of said first plurality of shaftelements is connected to one or more drive rollers for driving said copypaper from said supply roll to said intermediate station toward saidimage exposure station; and one or more of said second plurality ofshaft elements is connected to one or more further drive rollers forconveying said copy paper to said image exposure station and from saidimage exposure station through said developer station and said drierstation to said output delivery station. I 5. An assembly for driving aplurality of shaft elements in accordance with claim 2 and furtherincluding a first tensioning means for maintaining said second endlesschain in tension during operation of said apparatus; and a secondtensioning means for maintaining said third endless chain in tensionduring operation of i said apparatus. 6. An assembly for driving aplurality of shaft elements in accordance with claim 2 wherein saidfirst and said second tensioning means each includes a movable arm; anidler sprocket attached to said movable arm; and spring means attachedto said movable arm for holding said idler sprocket in spring-loadedtension against its associated endless chain, 7. An assembly for drivinga plurality of shaft elements in accordance with claim 2 wherein saidfirst dual sprocket is attached to a pivot shaft mounted along the pivotaxis of said movable portion of said apparatus; bearing means on whichsaid pivot shaft rotates, said movable portion of said apparatus beingfixedly attached to said pivot shaft for rotation along said pivot axis.8. An assembly for driving a plurality of shaft elements in accordancewith claim 7 and further including a substantially hollow roller meansmounted over and concentric with a portion of said pivot shaft; bearingmeans attached to said roller means for permitting said roller means andsaid pivot shaft to move relative to each other; whereby said movableportion of said apparatus and said roller means are capable of movingindependently of each other,

1. An assembly for driving a plurality of shaft elements in an apparatusfrom a single motor, at least one of said shaft elements being mountedon a fixed portion of said apparatus and at least one other of saidshaft elements being mounted on a movable portion thereof, said drivingassembly comprising a first plurality of engaging means fixedly attachedto said shaft elements mounted on said fixed portion of said apparatus;a first endless means engaging each of said first plurality of engagingmeans; a motor connected to one of said shaft elements mounted on saidfixed portion of said apparatus for rotating one of said first pluralityof engaging means whereby the others of said first plurality of engagingmeans rotate by engagement with said first endless means; anintermediate driver subassembly including a first dual driver meansmoUnted on an axis about which said movable portion of said apparatusrotates, said first dual driver means comprising first and secondintermediate engaging means, said first intermediate engaging meansengaging said first endless means; a second dual driver means mounted onsaid movable portion of said apparatus in spaced relation with saidfirst driver means, said second dual driver means comprising third andfourth intermediate engaging means; a second endless means engaging saidsecond intermediate engaging means and said third intermediate engagingmeans; a second plurality of engaging means fixedly attached to each ofsaid shaft elements mounted on said movable portion of said apparatus; athird endless means engaging each of said second plurality of engagingmeans and engaging said fourth intermediate engaging means; whereby saidmotor is capable of operating all of said shaft elements independentlyof the position of said movable portion of said apparatus.
 2. Anassembly for driving a plurality of shaft elements in an apparatus froma single motor, a first plurality of said shaft elements being mountedon a fixed portion of said apparatus and a second plurality of shaftelements being mounted on a movable portion thereof, said drivingassembly comprising a first plurality of sprockets fixedly attached tosaid first plurality of shaft elements; a first endless chain engagingeach of said first plurality of sprockets; a motor connected to one ofsaid first plurality of shaft elements for rotating the sprocketattached thereto whereby the others of said first plurality of sprocketsrotate by engagement with said first chain; an intermediate driversubassembly including a first dual sprocket mounted on an axis aboutwhich said movable portion of said apparatus rotates and comprisingfirst and second parallel mounted intermediate sprockets, said firstintermediate sprocket engaging said first chain; a second dual sprocketmounted on said movable portion of said apparatus and comprising thirdand fourth parallel mounted intermediate sprockets; a second endlesschain engaging said second intermediate sprocket and said thirdintermediate sprocket; a second plurality of sprockets fixedly attachedto each of said shaft elements mounted on said movable portion of saidapparatus; a third endless chain engaging each of said second pluralityof sprockets and engaging said fourth intermediate sprocket; wherebysaid motor is capable of operating all of said shaft elementsindependently of the position of said movable portion of said apparatus.3. An assembly for driving a plurality of shaft elements in accordancewith claim 2 wherein said first and said fourth intermediate sprocketsand said first and third endless chains lie in a first common plane;said second and said third intermediate sprockets and said secondendless chains lie in a second common plane; the motion of said firstendless chain in said first common plane being transmitted to saidsecond endless chain in said second common plane by said first dualsprocket; and the motion of said second endless chain being transmittedto said third endless chain in said first common plane by said seconddual sprocket.
 4. An assembly for driving a plurality of shaft elementsin accordance with claim 2 wherein said apparatus is a photocopierapparatus including a supply roll of copy paper; an intermediate stationfor preparing said paper for exposure to an image; an image exposurestation; a developer station for producing a visible image on said copypaper; a drier station for drying said developed copy paper; and anoutput delivery station; wherein one or more of said first plurality ofshaft elements is connected to one or more drive rollers for drivingsaid copy paper from said supply roll to said intermediate stationtoward said image exposure station; and one or more of said sEcondplurality of shaft elements is connected to one or more further driverollers for conveying said copy paper to said image exposure station andfrom said image exposure station through said developer station and saiddrier station to said output delivery station.
 5. An assembly fordriving a plurality of shaft elements in accordance with claim 2 andfurther including a first tensioning means for maintaining said secondendless chain in tension during operation of said apparatus; and asecond tensioning means for maintaining said third endless chain intension during operation of said apparatus.
 6. An assembly for driving aplurality of shaft elements in accordance with claim 2 wherein saidfirst and said second tensioning means each includes a movable arm; anidler sprocket attached to said movable arm; and spring means attachedto said movable arm for holding said idler sprocket in spring-loadedtension against its associated endless chain.
 7. An assembly for drivinga plurality of shaft elements in accordance with claim 2 wherein saidfirst dual sprocket is attached to a pivot shaft mounted along the pivotaxis of said movable portion of said apparatus; bearing means on whichsaid pivot shaft rotates, said movable portion of said apparatus beingfixedly attached to said pivot shaft for rotation along said pivot axis.8. An assembly for driving a plurality of shaft elements in accordancewith claim 7 and further including a substantially hollow roller meansmounted over and concentric with a portion of said pivot shaft; bearingmeans attached to said roller means for permitting said roller means andsaid pivot shaft to move relative to each other; whereby said movableportion of said apparatus and said roller means are capable of movingindependently of each other.